To say Derek was nervous was an understatement, he'd been stood near Stiles' locker for nearly 15 minutes and if he didn't do something soon then the bell was going to go and he'd lose his nerve completely. The problem was he couldn't stop thinking about the flaws in his plan. What if Stiles said no? What if he didn't even show up? What if Laura found out? He fished his phone out of his pocket and sent a text to Boyd.
The Good One: I've been stood outside his locker for 15 minutes Boyd. What if he says no?
The Good One: So what if he does?
The Good One: Then it's awkward and I'll have been rejected.
The Good One: What if you were shit at Lacrosse? What if you didn't do shop? What if you weren't interested in men? What if you weren't good looking?
The Good One: Erm I don't really understand the change in subject but I'd play basketball, I'd have taken textiles, I'd probably still be dating Paige and I'd probably not be as popular as I am.
The Good One: It's not a change in subject my point is every decision you make in life is a what if? But you don't know what's gonna happen till you make a decision so Derek you can either put that card in his locker and you will get rejected or you will get a date OR you can walk away right now and never know what his answer would have been.
The Good One: I'll put the card in his locker.
Derek looked between the notecard in his hand and the locker in front of him. Boyd was right he had to make a decision here, and he knew that if he never at least tried with Stiles he would hate himself. The bell sounded through the halls and Derek quickly slipped the card in through the slats and then made himself scarce. He didn't want to know Stiles' decision until tonight.
"You think I should do it?"
"For god sake Stiles, for the last time yes I think you should ask Derek out."
"But he doesn't even like me. And I'm still not sure if I like him."
"Stiles it's pretty obvious that Derek likes you."
"But what if he doesn't Scott?"
"Then everything will be fine and we'll glare at whoever he does like."
"Yeah?"
"Course man, I've always got your back."
"And I've always got yours."
"I know, by the way thanks again for playing on Saturday for me."
"Oh. Yeah man its fine. No problem." Stiles nodded his head and smiled as Scott clapped him on the shoulder. They stopped outside Scott's locker and Stiles leaned against the wall beside him.
"You know man your probably right I mean I'm never gonna know if I don't ask Derek out. I mean for all I know he could be gearing up to ask me out right now, right?" Stiles rolled his head to look at Scott but he was too busy looking down at something in his hand.
"Scott?" Stiles ducked his head to try and catch the boy's eye but he wasn't paying attention, Stiles laughed and snatched the card out of his friend's hand. "And what is this? A love note!"
"Stiles don't!"
"S, Meet me at the diner at 7pm…Derek. Derek? Why is Derek leaving this in your locker?"
"Stiles I have no idea. I swear." Stiles huffed a humourless laugh and pushed the card back in to Scott's hands.
"Well I guess now we know he doesn't like me."
"Stiles come on this has to be a mistake."
"It's fine Scott. Go on your date."
"Stiles you don't think I'd actually date him!"
"I don't know clearly you did something."
"Are you serious? Stiles you're my best friend."
"Well what about Saturday, what were you saying to him?"
"On the field? I was talking about you! I told him to give you another chance."
"Fine. I'm just gonna go anywhere else but here."
"Stiles don't be stupid, you know I'd never do this to you. I've known you've liked him for years I'd never try and date him. I don't even want to date him."
"I know that Scott! You're my best friend and I know you wouldn't hurt me! But I just need to be angry at someone right now and it can't be Derek because how pathetic would it make me to be mad just because he doesn't like me! So I just need to pretend this is your fault when I know it isn't." Stiles turned around and walked away from his best friend, he just needed to be somewhere else. He found himself sat in the library, he was in the back corner hidden away from everyone else, and he really just needed some time to think.
It was probably only half an hour before someone dropped in the seat beside him. Sighing Stiles turned to look at Scott who had that look on his face, the look that meant Stiles was about to be subjected to a speech.
"Okay. It's my fault. I made Derek fall for me, my incredible wit and charm made him weak in the knees and my jawline made him swoon. I took him from you and it felt good, I feel great right now. It's been my plan for years, convince you he likes you and then swoop in and take him from you at the last minute. I'm Tony Stark and your Coulson, you were so happy to finally meet Steve Rogers and then instead Steve's busy having sexually charged bickering with Tony. Steve is Derek in case you didn't get it. So I am Tony and I stole your Steve and I know you need to be mad at me so yeah if it makes easier to be mad at me then I totally took Derek with my puppy dog eyes. You can be mad at me as long as you need."
"Swoon? Weak in the knee's? Have you been watching shitty romance films again?"
"I watched a lot of movies when I was sick."
"Thanks for letting me be mad at you."
"It's what best friends are for."
"I know you didn't mean for this to happen Scott. I'm not even really mad I'm just sad I guess or embarrassed for thinking that he would like me. I just want you to know that if you want to go out with him tonight then I'm okay with it."
"No. I'm not interested in him. Even if I was you liked him first so I would never do that to you."
"Thanks Scott. And thanks for coming up with reasons to make me mad at you."
"It's okay. Sorry I took your Steve."
"Eh Cap's great but my life wouldn't be complete without my Tony Stark."
"And I'm always going to need my Coulson."
"I'm glad were so close that this isn't weird."
"It's still weird."
"I know but I'm ignoring the weird for the tension."
"Shut the fuck up you weirdo." Stiles started laughing and Scott smiled at being able to cheer his friend up, they both quietened down as the librarian stormed towards them and told them to be quiet or leave. They snickered under their breaths but told her they'd be quiet.
"So…er…what are you going to do about tonight?"
"I'm gonna go to the diner and tell Derek that I'm just not interested in him."
"Cool. But you're not…"
"I'm not secretly joining him."
"Okay. Good." They spent the rest of their free period in silence with Scott a shoulder to complain on if Stiles needed to.
Derek has no idea what to wear. His entire wardrobe is currently spread out over his floor, bed and desk. He has possible combinations all over the place and it shouldn't be this hard to pick something but he's tried everything on at least once and so far he's got nothing. Everything he's tried on he's looked like crap and Derek Hale will not be going on a date with Stiles Stilinski looking like crap. This is potentially the first date to a long term relationship because Derek really doesn't like to think of his relationships as short term and so every date goes through the same thought process.
Would his parents have approved? His parent's would love Stiles.
Does Laura approve? Laura loves Stiles.
Will he side with him over his friends on important things? Derek likes to think he will.
Can Derek see himself having sex with him? Many times. However Stiles wants.
Will they mock Derek when he broods? No more than his friends and family already do.
Will they make Derek feel awkward if he shows his more sensitive side? He may be being optimistic here but Derek likes to imagine that Stiles would cry if Derek showed his more romantic and sensitive side. It could totally happen.
Would Derek be able to live with them? Stiles can be annoying but Derek's pretty sure he could handle living with Stiles.
But the most important question Derek asks himself is:
Will they be one of those couples that has to alter how they first met or how their first date went because it was so bad? Well so far they've met in a graveyard which isn't too bad but they're gonna have to change the omegle story, once Derek actually gets up the courage to ask Stiles if it was him or not, but hopefully they won't have to alter the story of their first date because it's going to be great. As soon as Derek picks what to wear.
45 minutes later and Derek is dressed and outside the diner. He settled on his black ass-hugging jeans and a maroon Henley that clings to his arms. Derek knows he's being kind of ridiculous because Stiles wants him, Derek can smell it every time they're together but he's still nervous. What if Stiles just wants to sleep with Derek? What if he just wants to lose his virginity to someone like Derek? Pushing one of his claws in to his palm Derek tries to focus on the pain instead of the constant nerves he's feeling. He walks in to the diner and notices that Stiles isn't there yet but Derek is ten minutes early so there's nothing to worry about yet. He grabs the booth by the window and just waits. Jill brings him a glass of water after a couple of minutes and he smiles at her and she tells him he looks lovely this evening.
Derek is sat drumming his fingers on the table when he hears the jeep. He can hear it making its way down the road and the moment it pulls in to the parking lot. This means he can also hear the moment that it pulls back out of the parking lot. Derek scrunches his face as he tries to focus on the jeep but the diner's too loud to pick up anything specific. Maybe someone's dropping Stiles off. The bell above the door dings as someone pushes inside and Derek leans over a little to see who it is. When he sees Scott walking towards him Derek didn't think it was possible to physically feel his heart dropping in to his stomach but here he is. Scott keeps looking around the diner like it physically pains him to be here and it probably does because Stiles has sent Scott to let him down easy. Scott is here to tell Derek that Stiles doesn't want to date him and wow that kind of makes Stiles an asshole. Scott focuses on him and it looks like he's trying to force a smile on to his face but he just looks sad and awkward. Derek doesn't need this; he doesn't need Scott to feel sad for him, just because he's here to do Stiles' dirty work. Scott stopped a few steps away as Derek pushed up and out of the booth.
"Look Derek…"
"Save it."
"Derek let me…"
"I get it Scott. Your face doesn't exactly hide much."
"Look it's just Stiles is…"
"I said I get it. I don't need you to explain. I'm just gonna go, I'm sorry you had to do this." Derek pushed past him and out the door. He felt like everyone was staring at him as he left and judging him for thinking that someone would actually want to date him. Out in the parking lot Derek's senses cleared and he could hear a familiar heart beat about two blocks over. So Stiles had stuck around he just couldn't turn Derek down face to face. He wanted to storm over there, wanted to demand Stiles to grow up and turn him down properly instead of sending Scott but he wouldn't because Stiles didn't want to date him. And Derek wasn't going to be childish about it, he was just going to accept the rejection like the adult he was and pine in the comfort of his bedroom with ice-cream. That's what people did, right? He really needed his sisters.
Stiles pulled up to the curb when he saw Scott. Scott was fiddling with the hem of his shirt and Stiles kind of wanted to tell him that he didn't even like Derek and to go back and enjoy the date because Scott hated rejecting people. Stiles still remembers the situation in sophomore year when a girl asked Scott out and he said yes, they dated for three weeks before she realised that Scott didn't actually like her. Rightly she'd been angry that he'd led her on but then he explained that he hated making people sad that coupled with the puppy eyes left little room for her anger. Thankfully it worked out because she ended up meeting a guy at a house party the next day and as far as Stiles knew they were still together. Scott pulled open the door and slid in to the passenger seat.
"How'd it go?"
"Dude it was a cross between pissed and devastation."
"Guess you really had an effect on him."
"I guess but I still don't get it I mean Derek barely knows me. I just don't get how he ended up liking me."
"Guess we'll never know Scott."
"What are you gonna do about him?"
"Erm…nothing."
"But you guys have become friends. Are you just gonna start ignoring the guy?"
"Ugh no I guess not. I mean yeah I still like him but it's not his fault he's not interested."
"Exactly, you can't help who you like."
"Right! So I guess tomorrow I'll go make sure me and him are okay."
"Yeah there's no point losing a friend over something like this. Plus now I won't be the only one who has to listen to you talk about the 10 year plan."
"Dude, don't you think talking about my crush on someone else with my crush is a little weird."
"Nah the way I see it by talking about Lydia with Derek and him helping you, you'll be cementing the fact that nothing's going to happen and thus move on."
"I'm not sure if that would actually work. I mean wouldn't talking about Lydia more just make me obsess over Lydia more."
"No because you clearly like Derek more than Lydia. So this is your way of telling him about your crush and then every time he says something like well have you tried this or this you can think 'Okay Derek is helping me with my new crush, obviously he's never going to be interested in me so maybe I should look at other people' and so on."
"That's the worst plan I've ever heard."
"Fine. How about Danny and I take you to jungle tonight and you can tell him all about your adventures with other men?"
"How would that help?"
"Because it's like that episode of friends were Ross is with Julie so Rachael tries dating and then gets really drunk and calls Ross and tells him she's over him. So you're Rachael and with every guy you talk about what you're really saying is I'm over you. He just doesn't have to know that's what you're saying."
"You watched friends while you were sick, didn't you?"
"Yes. The shitty romance movies and friends really kept me going. But my point still stands; you need to get over him."
"You're right. I need to get over him. I need to get over him!"
"Exactly!"
"Okay let's do it! Let's help me get over him."
"Awesome I'll text Danny now." Stiles smiled at him and pulled out in to the road, he was moving on, getting over Derek. That's what adults did they moved on and took rejection with a pinch of salt or something like that. Tonight was about Stiles and men who weren't Derek. Tomorrow Stiles could make sure he and Derek were still friends and then tell him about tonight and with every story he would secretly be saying 'I'm over you'. And if he managed to convince himself at the same time then it would be a bonus.
